One advantage of having such easy access to Alabama’s Gulf Coast is that an excursion to find sand and surf usually doesn’t require weeks of planning, reservations, or a lot of cash. In fact, with a few clicks of your mouse, you can find that someone else has done the hard work for you.

On the local tourism site, prospective visitors can check a calendar of events, search for lodging availability, and find fun places to eat, shop, or explore.

A nifty feature of the site is the Travel Tools feature. Click on the drop down menu and find maps, weather conditions and special rentals. Perhaps the best tool is the Cruising to the Coast Calculator, which allows you to enter your zip code and the average price per gallon of gas to calculate the cost of a trip to visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Now that gas prices are starting to drop, that number looks even more appealing.

Travel time is a good time to discuss options for vacation time. The key to an end-of-summer trip is to have as much fun as possible while also finding time to relax, recharge, and refresh.

One way to do this is to sneak in a little pampering or indulgence, and the form it takes is very individual. For some, the best relaxation is “retail therapy,” and Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are filled with trendy and quirky shops. Of course, a visit to the Wharf in Orange Beach is one way to find a variety of stores in one place.

The Wharf, a tourist center, also has many other activities, such as a series of concerts with names like Crosby, Stills & Nash; Trip, Heart and Cheap Trick; and Sugarland with LeAnn Rimes. The Wharf also features a 112-foot Ferris wheel, the tallest in the Southeast, and an indoor miniature golf course. Speaking of golf, Gulf Shores is a fool’s paradise, with nine golf courses within easy reach designed by some of the biggest names in the sport.

If an adventure is your way to recharge, Alabama’s Gulf Coast also offers plenty of options for fishing, biking, swimming and hiking.

You’ve packed your bags and packed your days with ideas to meet the needs of everyone in the group. So, what are you waiting for? The beach is calling!